The assessment separates opposition to a war the officers believed unwinnable from a refusal to serve. Some Japanese naval officers are treated as patriots and receive qualified respect for continuing to perform their duty despite believing victory impossible. That respect does not excuse their conduct or make them admirable people in every respect. Shimada receives much less sympathy, which establishes the personal and moral emphasis of the biography.
Notable Point · 0:02-1:26
Why Shimada receives a harsh assessment
The opening distinguishes officers who opposed the war yet continued to serve from Shimada, whose conduct receives far less sympathy.